Chapter Text
Gerard’s eyes flickered open to a mostly dark room, only the pale moonlight peeking through torn curtains stopped the darkness from being complete. He tried to turn onto his side, and nearly passed out from the pain that ripped through him...what the Hell had happened?
It took him a minute and several sharp, panicked breaths before he remembered...Fuck!...all the things Mr. McCracken and Tony had done!...they were truly monsters.
Tears slipped from his eyes as he turned his face and caught sight of the rough ropes binding his wrist to the bedpost. He looked the other way and was met with the same view...Shit!
There was something in his mouth; stiff fabric, bitter to the taste and soaked with his spit...and probably his blood too. Gerard whimpered behind the makeshift gag...he really wished he hadn’t come.
After a few minutes of laying there in the dark, cursing the trust he’d put in Bert, and praying for some miracle to save him...he heard footsteps approaching the door. Squeezing his eyes shut, he sobbed once then tried to feign unconsciousness. Maybe if they thought he was still out cold, then they’d leave him alone for a while...
Maybe not. The door swung open hard, crashing into the wall and making Gerard jolt from shock. Tony chuckled darkly.
"Y" can’t pretend with me boy, I know you’re awake..."
Sobbing pitifully, Gerard turned wide, frightened eyes toward the man. Tony grinned as he closed the door behind himself.
"Time to play."
Bert couldn’t hear any screams from his spot on the porch this time, but he knew that was just because his dad had gone to sleep, so Tony would’ve left Gerard’s gag in...God, he hated his family.
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*
Frank’s knuckles were white on the steering wheel as he drove up the dark mountain road toward the first of three cabins that could belong to Bert’s dad. Gerard’s blog hadn’t given much detail, just a cabin in the mountains, but that could only mean one of these three...unless they’d travelled well out of state. Frank prayed that he was right.
He’d been an idiot, a blind idiot for not seeing what was right in front of him this whole time...Gerard, the sweetest, kindest, funniest and most beautiful boy he’d ever met. He hoped he wasn’t too late to tell him that he...that he loved him.
Frank sucked in a deep breath through his nose as the reality of that hit him, cause yes, he really did love him...and he"d be damned if he’d let some Jonny-come-lately fucker called Bert steal him away. Pressing his foot down harder on the accelerator, Frank drove on through the night...just a couple more miles to the first cabin. He really hoped it was the right one.
*
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*
Thoughts and memories of Frank whirled through Gerard’s mind as he tried to block out what was happening to his body. He remembered laying on the grass counting stars as they listened to some shitty 80s radio station...the only one they could find with reception when they’d arrived at the lake. Their tent was set up a few meters away, but neither of them felt the need to move just yet. He remembered sharing ice cream cones on the beach when they couldn’t decide which one they liked best, swapping over after a few licks, unconcerned by thoughts of exchanged saliva or germs...better times. Times he would welcome back in a heartbeat if Frank was there now...
But Frank wasn’t there, and the pain was breaking through Gerard’s foggy mind again. He would’ve screamed if it weren’t for the gag...or the fact that his throat was so sore from screaming before, that he wasn’t sure he had anything left. He hoped Tony would let him pass out again soon, but with how gleefully the older boy was grinning, that didn’t seem likely at all.
Gerard squeezed his eyes shut and tried, really hard, to think of anything but the pain...but even memories of Frank were being drowned out now.
Would this ever end? Would they let him go, or was his fate to die here in agony?...A part of him would be happy to accept the latter, if only it meant an end to this pain.
*
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*
Frank finally arrived at the first cabin, but was disappointed to find that it was apparently empty. There were no vehicles outside, and no lights shone behind the windows. He got out of his car and went to knock on the door anyway...the owner"s car could be parked round the back, and they could all be asleep...but after knocking and receiving no reply, Frank tried the door and found it unlocked. Swallowing back his nerves, he pushed the door open and peered inside.
The room was dark, but soft moonlight shone through a window on the left, revealing an abandoned and trashed view. Tables were upturned and couches were slashed and torn. There was graffiti on the walls and a pervading smell of animal faeces and urine made Frank’s eyes water and his stomach clench uncomfortably.
"Fuck."
He muttered, backing out and turning back toward his car. It was maybe a five minute drive to the second cabin, and he prayed for better luck there.
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Bert was sat on the porch, smoking weed and drinking beer...it was the only way he could handle even being here. He wished he had the guts to go for help, but he was a coward when it came to his dad and brother...that’s the only reason they didn’t bother to lock him in his room on these trips, cause they knew he’d never go against them again. He wished he had Frank’s phone number, that would be something. He would call the other boy and tell him the truth...but no, he didn’t have the number. He could call 911...but again, it came down to him being a coward. If he turned in his dad and brother, he’d end up in trouble himself, and he doubted that his cowardice would be enough of a defence to save him from doing jail time.
"Fuck."
He muttered before chugging down the rest of his beer and popping open another one. He really wished he had gone with her when his mother walked out, his life could’ve been so much better.
*
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Tony had finished having his fun for now. The boy was unconscious again and Tony was tired. Yawning and stretching out his back, he headed off to bed. A couple hours sleep and he could get back into it, he relished the thought as he climbed into his bed and closed his eyes...this was the best one yet.
*
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*
Frank pulled up to the second cabin and was encouraged by the sight of a pickup truck parked out front, and smoke drifting up from the chimney. The lights were all off, but that wasn’t too surprising...it was nearly 2am.
Shutting off the engine, Frank got out of the car and headed up to the front door. The rough wooden steps creaked under his weight and he swallowed thickly...from what he remembered of Bert, the guy was a rake thin stoner, but Frank didn’t know anything about the guy"s dad or brother. They could be huge. They could be shotgun toting maniacs. Swallowing again, Frank knocked on the door.
After a few seconds, a light came on in the cabin, shining out of the window on the right. Frank stepped back slightly and drew himself up to his full height.
"Who’s there?"
A man"s voice sounded from within. Frank took a breath.
"Sorry to bother you sir, I’m looking for Bert?...is he here?"
Frank heard a huff, then the door being unlocked. The door opened and an older man wearing flannel pyjamas and a ratty green housecoat peered out at him.
"There’s no Bert here boy..."
The man frowned slightly, tilting his head as he thought.
"Wait, you don’t mean the McCracken boy, do ya?"
Frank thought for a second...was that Bert"s name?...he didn’t remember ever hearing it.
"Yessir, that’s the one."
Frank took a chance. The man huffed, frowning.
"Ya don’t wanna get y"self mixed up with that family...they’re bad news."
Frank frowned.
"Bad news...how?"
The man rubbed his hand over his tired eyes.
"They used t" come up here years back, the whole family. Jacob and Elenor were a lovely couple, and those boys were so sweet...but after Elenor left..."
The man sighed, shaking his head.
"She was the glue that held them all together I think, but with her gone, they kinda turned savage."
Frank’s eyebrows shot up.
"Savage?"
"Yeah. Jacob got real mean. I seen him beat little Robert til he was black "n" blue, more than once. And Tony were no better. I think he got into drugs "n" stuff...he got real nasty. I don’t talk to any of them any more, but I did see Jacob"s truck heading up to their cabin a few days back..."
He pointed up the road.
"It’s about a half mile up that way. I don’t recommend visiting though."
Frank nodded thoughtfully.
"Thank you sir, and again; sorry for bothering you so late."
"No worries lad, I don’t sleep good anyway. Y" didn’t wake me."
Frank smiled sympathetically.
"Good. Well, thanks again. I better get going."
"Ok. Good luck."
Frank smiled and nodded before heading back to his car. He thought after hearing all that, that he might need a bit of luck. Starting the car, he put it in gear and continued his journey up the mountain road...just half a mile and he could, hopefully, find Gerard...his Gerard.
*
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*
Bert stood up from his spot on the porch, flicking his finished blunt into the undergrowth and dropping his empty beer can into the old oil drum that they used for trash. It was late, just a few minutes before 2am and he was tired. He hated these trips for many reasons, but one of those was because he never got enough sleep.
Everything was quiet inside now, so he decided to take the opportunity to sneak off to bed...or he would have, if the headlights of a car hadn’t started to make their way toward him. Frowning, he headed down the steps to greet their unexpected late night visitor...and tell them they were better off leaving before his dad or brother woke up. He glanced back at the cabin, glad to see the building still dark, then trotted a few meters down the track toward the car, waving his arms to get the driver"s attention.
Frank saw the thin, hoodie clad figure coming toward him, arms waving round like he was having a seizure. He frowned...this was who Gerard was with? He pulled the car to a stop just short of the other boy and got out, almost laughing at the shocked look on Bert"s face.
"Frank?..."
Bert dropped his arms to his sides, eyes wide.
"How did you find us?"
Frank chuckled, stuffing his hands into his pockets as he cleared the short distance between them.
"Gerard’s blog. He said you were bringing him out here."
"Oh..."
Bert didn’t even know Gerard had a blog. He looked down at his feet, swallowing heavily...he was happy Frank was there to save Gerard, but he was scared how the other boy would react to his part in getting him there.
"Frank, I...I’m sorry."
Frank raised an eyebrow.
"For what?"
Bert looked up, a haunted look in his tired eyes.
"My...my dad and brother...they..."
Frank frowned heavily, stepping forward threatening.
"They, what?"
He demanded. Bert’s lip trembled as tears started to well up in his eyes...he wanted to die right then, and he knew that no one would miss him.
"They’re m-monsters. They...they make me ch-choose boys, quiet boys, lonely boys, boys who don’t have friends..."
He shuddered, wrapping his arms around himself. Frank looked like he was about to rip his throat out with his bare hands.
"Gerard isn’t the first..."
His voice got lower and shakier with each word.
"But...but he’s the first that had someone who cared..."
He sniffed, meeting Frank’s furious eyes with his own frightened ones.
"Frank, help me please?...help me save him and you can do whatever you want to me, I swear I won’t run away."
Frank’s hands were in fists at his sides now, his face red with rage as he fought against the urge to rip Bert limb from limb.
"What have they done to him?"
He ground out through gritted teeth. Bert swallowed, looking down.
"I...I d-don’t kn-know for certain. I only see him w-when I c-clean him up a-after."
Frank sucked air in through his teeth, then let it out on a hot breath.
"Ok, so...1: where is Gerard? 2: where are those assholes? and 3: are they armed?"
Bert looked up, his face pale and wet, eyes red.
"Gerard’s in a room at the back, dad and Tony"s rooms are upstairs and yeah, they both have shotguns...and lots of hunting knives."
Frank unclenched his hands to rub them over his face.
"Fuck!...then we better be quiet..."
He raised a hand toward the cabin.
"Lead the way shitstain."
Bert nodded, it wasn’t like he could dispute the name. He turned and headed quietly back toward the thankfully still dark and silent building, confident that Frank was following right behind him.
Reaching the porch steps, Bert looked back.
"Don’t touch the second step, dad booby trapped it."
He whispered. Frank nodded his understanding, then followed Bert up the rough wooden steps and into the cabin. He wondered just how the step was booby trapped, but now wasn’t the time for questions, there were much more important things to concentrate on.
The room around him was as dark as expected, so he stayed close to Bert’s back, hoping the other boy knew where everything was, and wouldn’t cause him to trip up. They made their way silently through the living room, winding between 2 couches and a large wooden coffee table that was littered with beer cans and magazines...from what Frank could tell...then entered a short hallway leading toward the rear of the building. They passed an open door that lead into what Frank could just make out as the kitchen, then carried onto a closed door at the end. Bert turned his head toward Frank as he paused with one hand on the door handle.
"I’m so sorry."
He whispered, before turning the handle and pushing the door open into the small room. It took Frank’s mind a few seconds to join the dots of what exactly he was seeing...when he did...
"Oh my God..."
He breathed, one hand grabbing the doorframe for support while the other shot up to cover his mouth...how could 2 people be so evil to someone so sweet and pure?
"Gee..."
He pushed past Bert into the room and quickly went to Gerard’s side.
"Gee?...baby, can you hear me?..."
Gerard didn’t stir. Frank looked over to where Bert stood just inside the door, staring at the scene in front of him as if he couldn’t really see anything at all.
"Bert? Have you got a knife?...for the ropes..."
Bert looked like he was about to throw up. After a moment, he slowly nodded, reaching into his hoodie pocket and pulling out a flick knife. He walked forward as if he was in a dream, and handed the knife to Frank. Frank frowned, he wasn’t sure what use Bert could be in this state.
"Bert..."
He hissed, making the other boys eyes raise up from Gerard’s still form, to meet Frank’s urgent stare.
"Keep a look out, yeah?"
Bert swallowed hard, then nodded and returned mechanically to the doorway to listen for any sounds of movement in the bedrooms upstairs. Frank watched Bert’s back for a few seconds, then got to work cutting the ropes that held Gerard’s delicate wrists to the bedposts. It didn’t take very long to cut through, but the fact that Gerard still hadn’t woken up, worried Frank immensely. After Gerard’s wrists were free, Frank scanned the room for any sign of the boy"s clothing, but could find none. There was however a thick blanket folded up on a chair in the corner, so Frank quickly grabbed it and set about wrapping his best friend"s cold, still and silent body in it. He ignored the blood and other substances that covered the boy"s pale skin, cause there wasn’t much he could do about them there. Gerard was breathing, and if Frank wanted to keep him that way, then getting him out was the priority...he could deal with everything else later.
Scooping Gerard up into his arms, he walked over to the door, making Bert startle slightly.
"Fuck!..."
Bert looked down and Gerard’s pale face and gulped audibly before looking back up at Frank.
"Let’s go."
Frank nodded, then followed Bert back along the hallway, past the kitchen and into the living room. His eyes were more adjusted to the lack of light now, so he could make out the couches and cluttered coffee table, and see he’d been right about what he thought was on it. He scanned the rest of the room, seeing the hulking fireplace to his right, and the bottom of the staircase in the corner. He prayed to God that they could get out of there without waking up Bert’s dad and brother, and did his best to walk and even breathe silently as they crossed the space to the front door.
Bert quietly turned the handle, wincing and freezing as it squeaked slightly...then turned it the rest of the way and opened the door. They both stepped outside into the cold night air and shivered, looking at each other with the first stirrings of relief on their faces.
"Don’t forget the step..."
Bert whispered. Frank nodded, then they silently moved down the steps, Bert first then Frank behind, Gerard’s silent form clutched close to his chest. When their feet touched the ground, Bert stopped.
"Do you still have my knife?"
Frank nodded.
"Right jacket pocket."
Bert offered a nervous half smile, then carefully retrieved his blade.
"I’ll meet you at your car."
Frank frowned.
"What’re you gonna do?"
Bert flashed a grin at Frank.
"I’m just gonna make sure they can’t follow us..."
He nodded toward Frank’s car.
"Go. I’ll be right behind you."
Frank didn’t need telling twice. He nodded and started to walk briskly back to the relative safety of his car. When he got there, he juggled Gerard’s dead weight against his body so that he could open the passenger door, then carefully lowered Gerard into the seat. He pulled the seatbelt around the silent boy"s body and clicked it in place, then closed the door. He looked over toward the cabin and saw that Bert was crouched down next to one of the back wheels of his dad’s truck, blade in hand. Frank grinned, maybe Bert wasn’t as useless as he’d thought after all.
Chuckling slightly, Frank went round to the driver"s side and opened the door. Just as he was about to get in, a loud shout came from the direction of the cabin. He looked over just as an older man who he guessed was Bert’s dad grabbed Bert by the hair and threw him to the ground roughly. Frank wanted to help him, but a second man, who he took to be Bert’s older brother; Tony, was now charging toward him.
"GO!"
Bert yelled at him just before his dad"s boot slammed into the side of his head...the crunching sound was sickeningly audible, but Frank knew he had no choice but to leave him. He jumped in his car and slammed the door, starting the engine on the first try and thanking God and his mother for reminding him to get the starter motor changed last week. He put the car in drive just as Tony approached at full speed, and smashed straight into the taller man"s legs, sending him crashing onto the hood with a less than manly scream, then tumbling to the ground as Frank slammed on the breaks, then put it in reverse. His headlights clicked on and illuminated the scene before him; Tony laying on the rough ground, shrieking like a stuck pig...Bert on the ground by his dad"s truck, his head somehow looking to be the wrong shape, though Frank chose to believe that it was just a trick of the light...and Bert’s dad, now red faced and barrelling toward him with a murderous look in his eyes. Swallowing thickly, Frank floored the car in reverse, then spun it to face away down the mountain...a trick Pete had taught him just last week...then stamped down hard on the accelerator and headed off into the dark.
He glanced in his rear view as he sped away, and saw Bert’s dad dropping to his knees next to Tony...maybe he had a tiny sliver of a heart left after all. Frank looked back to the road and sighed in something resembling relief...he’d gotten himself and Gerard out of there alive, and that was all that mattered to him right now.
After driving for about 10 minutes, Frank pulled over to check on Gerard. Turning on the interior light, he turned in his seat and was happy to see Gerard’s eyes starting to flutter open.
"Gee..."
He said softly, reaching out to carefully tuck Gerard’s hair behind his ear. Gerard’s eyes opened sluggishly, turning slowly toward the familiar voice. Frank smiled.
"Hi baby. It’s ok, you’re safe now."
"F-Frankie?"
Gerard’s voice was desperately weak and small. Frank nodded.
"Yeah baby, it’s me. I’m gonna take you to hospital now...Ok?"
Gerard swallowed and coughed slightly, closing his eyes and wincing...then he nodded, not 100% convinced that any of this was actually real, but willing to go along with the dream for as long as he could.
"Ok Frankie...love you."
He mumbled the last as he drifted off to sleep...but Frank heard him. Frank smiled and leaned in to press a soft kiss to Gerard’s dry and cracked lips.
"I love you too baby, and when you’re better, I’m gonna make it so you can never doubt that again."
He cupped Gerard’s pale cheek for a moment, then started the car up again and headed on down the mountain, and to the nearest hospital he could find.
*
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~Time Stamp: 2 weeks later~
Gerard had spent the last 2 weeks in the Clara Maass Medical centre, back in their hometown of Belleville, after being airlifted from the small and somewhat basic medical centre Frank had been able to find that night. Frank had abandoned his car at the other hospital to fly back home, so he could hold Gerard’s hand the whole way, and he’d had to have it delivered back to him at great cost, but that really didn’t bother him one bit...it was worth it.
Gerard had to have 2 surgeries and several smaller procedures...along with 2 blood transfusions...before he got to this point; the point where his doctor was happy for him to go home...and Frank hadn’t left his side even once. Frank hadn’t admitted his feeling to Gerard yet, but he had made up his mind that he’d do it as soon as Gerard was back in his own home.
Don and Mikey had both spent every day there at his bedside too, laughing and joking, gossiping about which doctor they thought was sleeping with which nurse...and completely avoiding the topic of what had happened to Gerard at the hands of those monsters.
The monsters, both Mr. McCracken and Tony had been arrested and charged with multiple counts of abduction, assault and various other nasty crimes...including the murders of at least 3 other boys...and Bert. Gerard had cried when he was told that Bert was dead, even after the other boy had lead him into the trap...he still remembered how sweet Bert had been, and Frank had told him how brave Bert had been that night. He couldn’t be mad at him forever. Frank let a few tears slip too, cause, at the end there, he’d seen just a tiny bit of what Gerard had seen in the strange, skinny stoner. He thought that if things had been different, they might even have become friends.
*
Gerard was packing the last of his things into the backpack his dad had brought him from home, when his dad and Mikey walked in.
"Hey Gee, you nearly ready to get outta here?..."
Mikey asked...he seemed more his real age now, instead of the prematurely middle aged boy who’d returned from boarding school not so long ago. Being separated from that school, and his mother"s influence had done him wonders. Gerard nodded, a tiny half smile appearing for a moment, then vanishing as if it had never been there at all. He’d barely said a word since the rescue, but he was getting there...3 sessions a week with a therapist seemed to be helping too. Mikey smiled, looking over at Frank, who was folding up Gerard’s Batman blanket that Don had brought in for him.
"Hi Frank. You good?"
Frank grinned.
"Peachy. You?"
Mikey chuckled.
"Same."
"And I’m good too..."
Don butted in with a smirk.
"In case anyone wondered."
Frank laughed.
"Good to know Mr. Way. So..."
He moved up to Gerard’s side, blanket held to his chest.
"Ready?"
Gerard turned to him and smiled, properly this time.
"Y-yes Frankie."
Frank grinned and gently slipped his arm around Gerard’s waist, leaving Mikey to pick up Gerard’s bag.
"Good. Come on then, let’s get you home...I’ve got something I need to tell you, but I want you comfy in your own room when I do...Ok?"
Gerard nodded, sighing softly.
"Ok Frankie, l-lead the way."
10 minutes later they were all piling into Don"s car, and 10 minutes after that, they were back home. Frank helped Gerard out of the car and wrapped his arm around him again, then lead him slowly inside and up to his room, settling him onto the bed before closing the door and walking over to join him, an uncharacteristically nervous look in his eyes. Gerard tilted his head slightly, trying to read Frank’s expression.
"Frankie?...what’s wrong?"
Frank picked up one of Gerard’s hands and held it between his. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
"Gee..."
He faltered, and Gerard hummed for him to continue. Frank bit his lip and opened his eyes to look into Gerard’s beautiful greens.
"All the times I’ve told you about getting with this guy, or bedding that girl..."
He saw the sadness in Gerard’s eyes, and realised that it had been there before...every time he’d told the younger boy of his conquests. Why had he never seen it before? He swallowed.
"It was meaningless. I told myself I was looking for something, but that was a lie...cause what I was searching for was right in front of me all along..."
Gerard tilted his head, frowning slightly in confusion. Frank smiled softly, reaching up to tuck Gerard’s hair behind his ear.
"And is right in front of me...now."
It took a moment...then Gerard’s eyes widened, almost eclipsing his whole face.
"You...you mean...me?"
Frank chuckled warmly.
"Yeah baby, I do..."
He licked his lips and swallowed back his nerves to say the one thing he’d never said...and truly meant.
"Gerard Arthur Way....I love you. I think I always have..."
He swallowed again, watching as Gerard’s eyes started to get that light in them that he’d lost some time ago.
"Will you be my...boyfriend?"
Gerard’s face split into a massive grin as he practically threw himself into Frank’s arms, burying his face into Frank’s neck and nodding excitedly.
"Yes! Yes, oh yes Frankie..."
He gushed as he brought his face up to look in Frank’s eyes, from just an inch away.
"Of course I’ll be your boyfriend..."
He leaned in slightly to place a light kiss to Frank’s lips.
"Because...I always loved you too."
Frank grinned wide and gently pulled Gerard in again for another kiss...and realised that yes, after everything, this was exactly what he’d been looking for all along.
~The End~